Michael Masser
Michael Masser – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes
Explore the life and career of Michael Masser (1941–2015), the American songwriter, composer, and producer behind era-defining hits for Diana Ross, George Benson, and Whitney Houston—including “The Greatest Love of All,” “Saving All My Love for You,” and “Theme from Mahogany.” Learn about his beginnings, milestones, philosophy, legacy, and timeless quotes.
Introduction
Michael Masser was a Wall Street stockbroker who walked away from a conventional career to chase a single obsession: writing melodies that last. He went on to craft some of the most beloved songs in modern pop and soul, from Diana Ross’s “Touch Me in the Morning” to George Benson’s and Whitney Houston’s immortal versions of “The Greatest Love of All.” His catalog shaped the sound of the 1970s and 1980s and still anchors playlists, ceremonies, and vocal masterclasses today.
Early Life and Family
Michael William Masser was born March 24, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois, to a Jewish family. Before music, he followed an academic path—attending the University of Illinois College of Law—then entered finance as a stockbroker. But the pull of songwriting proved stronger than any market rally.
Youth and Education
Though he later studied informally with lyric legend Johnny Mercer, Masser famously never learned to read music. He taught himself piano and chased melody by ear—an origin story that helps explain the emotional directness of his work.
Career and Achievements
Breaking Through: Diana Ross, Motown & an Oscar-nominated theme
Masser’s first major hit arrived with “Touch Me in the Morning” (co-written with Ron Miller), recorded by Diana Ross—a song that announced a writer with a flair for soaring, cathartic choruses. He followed with “Theme from Mahogany (Do You Know Where You’re Going To)” (with Gerry Goffin), initially cut by Thelma Houston and later made iconic by Ross; the song earned an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song.
Film to Anthem: “The Greatest Love of All”
In 1977, Masser composed the music to “The Greatest Love of All” (lyrics by Linda Creed) for the Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest. George Benson’s original recording became a substantial R&B hit, and Whitney Houston’s later interpretation transformed it into a global anthem of dignity and self-belief.
The Whitney Era & Adult-Contemporary Gold
Across the 1980s, Masser—often teaming with Gerry Goffin, Linda Creed, Will Jennings, and others—delivered a run of standards for Whitney Houston: “Saving All My Love for You,” “All at Once,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” and “Hold Me.” His pen also powered Peabo Bryson & Roberta Flack’s “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” George Benson’s “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” and Gladys Knight & the Pips’ “So Sad the Song.” Many of these titles became wedding staples, vocal warm-ups, and radio evergreens.
Recognition
Masser received a Golden Palm Star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars (2002) and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame (2007)—formal acknowledgments of a catalog whose durability is measured in re-releases and cover versions as much as in chart peaks.
Historical Milestones & Context
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From Wall Street to Tin Pan Alley: Masser’s leap from stockbroker to hitmaker mirrors the American creative myth—betting everything on an inner calling and winning by persistence and craft.
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Cinema to Charts: Writing for films (Mahogany, The Greatest) positioned his songs to reach mass audiences, where they then blossomed into standalone pop standards.
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Voice-driven Pop: Masser wrote with singers in mind, engineering modulations and melody arcs that reward huge voices—think Ross, Benson, Bryson, and Houston. The result was a signature blend of pop, soul, and adult-contemporary that dominated the airwaves in the late ’70s and ’80s.
Legacy and Influence
Masser’s legacy is heard wherever powerful voices meet big, heartfelt melodies. “The Greatest Love of All” became a rite-of-passage song for emerging singers; “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You” and “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” endure as romantic touchstones; “Saving All My Love for You” remains a gold standard of pop-soul phrasing. His collaborators remember him as a craftsman who wrote for the singer—leaving space for emotion to bloom. He died on July 9, 2015, in Rancho Mirage, California, survived by his wife Ogniana and their family, but his songs continue to teach singers how to tell the truth in three and a half minutes.
Personality and Talents
Masser’s work radiates a specific humanism—songs about purpose, self-worth, and devotion. He chased clarity in melody and scale in feeling, often building toward key changes that made good singers sound great and great singers sound transcendent. That instinct came from intuition rather than formal training; he trusted what moved him. As he once explained, his decision to leave law and finance for songwriting was less a whim than a life necessity.
Famous Quotes of Michael Masser
“People thought I was crazy. I had to starve. Had no money. Marriage broke up. But I had to do what I’d wanted to do since I was 6… write music.”
Speaking of Muhammad Ali’s example: “Ali… lost everything—including his title. But Ali retained the most important thing of all—his dignity.”
On why The Greatest Love of All resonated: he wrote it “right from the heart,” then had George Benson record it for the film—after which “the record… became an underground theme for black people.”
On re-inventing himself: an ex-stockbroker who “found his greatest love in pop music.”
Life and Career of Michael Masser (Highlights)
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Early pivot: Chicago-born; law studies and stockbroking before music; self-taught pianist who studied craft with Johnny Mercer.
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Breakthrough hits: Diana Ross’s “Touch Me in the Morning” (1973) and “Theme from Mahogany” (1975, Oscar-nominated).
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Cultural anthem: “The Greatest Love of All” (1977 for The Greatest), later immortalized by Whitney Houston.
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’80s standards: “Saving All My Love for You,” “All at Once,” “Didn’t We Almost Have It All,” “Hold Me,” and more—often with Goffin, Creed, Jennings, and Osborne.
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Other signatures: “Nothing’s Gonna Change My Love for You,” “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love,” “So Sad the Song.”
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Honors: Palm Springs Walk of Stars (2002); Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee (2007).
Lessons from Michael Masser
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Follow the calling, not the résumé. Masser left a secure career to write songs—and changed pop history in the process.
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Write for the voice in the room. His melodies lift singers, not the other way around—one reason his songs became vocal standards.
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Let themes be universal. Dignity, self-respect, devotion—his lyrics partners and productions amplified messages that outlast trends.
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Craft endures. From film ballads to radio hits, Masser’s work shows that classic song structure and heartfelt storytelling never go out of style.
Conclusion
Michael Masser wrote songs that feel like conversations with your better self. Whether asking “Do you know where you’re going to?” or affirming “the greatest love” within, his music gives listeners a language for purpose and grace. For anyone who loves big melodies and bigger feelings, his catalog is a map—and an invitation.
Explore more timeless quotes and song histories on our site, and revisit the original recordings that made Michael Masser’s name synonymous with classic pop songwriting.
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